Our Cloud of Witnesses: A Writing of Hebrews 11:1–12:2 in Memory of the Asian and Asian American Women Killed 16 March 2021

Abstract:This is a writing of Heb 11:1–12:2 in memory of and inspired by the Asian and Asian American women killed in the Atlanta, Georgia, area on 16 March 2021. It does not reread the passage but rather writes a new passage that honors Asian women immigrants, their histories, and their faith as seekers of a homeland. The themes of lineage, ancestors, migration, faith, and rest in a promised land from Heb 11:1–12:2 are transformed and woven in hermeneutical poiesis to confront the long history and current wave of anti-Asian hate, erasure, and violence against Asian and Asian American women. The purpose of this article is twofold: to produce a text from Scripture that honors and memorializes the women in the context of the Asian American community and to articulate how this creative hermeneutic expands the scope of biblical studies. After an introduction, the new passage is presented alongside the verses from Hebrews, followed by a discussion of methodology and a commentary on the new text.